D-Day +5

Battle for Caen 1944

The city of Caen was perhaps the greatest major obstacle in the path of the Allied advance inland after their landings in Normandy, June 6th, 1944. Consequently it was a key objective for 3rd British Division, landing on Sword Beach. The Allies were unable to capture the strategically important city on D-Day, however, in the teeth of armored counter-attacks from 21st Panzer Division.

Renewed attempts by 3rd Canadian Division on June 7th-8th were foiled by 12th SS Panzer Division 'Hitlerjugend', as were 7th British Armoured Division's thrusts towards the city on June 11th-14th. On June 25th Operation 'Epsom' was launched to take Caen.

Preceded by RAF Bomber Command attacks, further British and Canadian assaults on July 4th stalled before the whole of the city could be taken. On July 7th Operation 'Charnwood' forced the Germans to withdraw from northern Caen. A much heavier bombardment opened Operation 'Goodwood' on July 18th, in the course of which the Canadians finally managed to liberate the rest of Caen, by now largely demolished after five weeks of intensive fighting.

Allied & Axis Armour video (The deadly tiger tank)...

WWII Sherman Tank blasting car.

Wittmann in Villers Bocage

The infamous Tiger Tank, one of the the deadliest fighting machines ever built and the most successful tank ace of WWII, Michael Wittmann. Wittman was the most decorated tank commander of WWII , together with his entire crew, was killed on August 8 in the battle for Cintheaux when his Tiger received a direct hit from a rocket fired by an RAF Typhoon ground attack fighter.

NOTE: 10/06/1944 German counterattacks against Allied invasion forces are unsuccessful for lack of armoured reserves in the area. Troops of the 2nd SS Panzer Division 'Das Reich' massacre more than 600 people in the French town of Oradour-sur-Glane. While the men are shot immediately, the women and children are locked in a church the alter of which is set on fire; those who try to escape the flames are shot.

Links:
Normandy Invasion : Fighting in the bocage (Encyclopædia Britannica)
Fighting inshore, the Allies also encountered difficulty in the dense hedgerow country known to the French as the bocage. Thanks to the success of the airborne landings, the flanks of the beachhead were firmly held, but efforts to break out of the centre were frustrated by fierce German resistance ...